Bearing sleeve for pump shafts



March 7, 1950 A. A. BROWNE 2,499,456

BEARING SLEEVE FOR PUMP SHAFTS Filed July 13, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

ALBERT A Bnowuza' I a ,v

Patented Mar. 7, 1950 BEARING SLEEVE FOR PUMP SHAFTS Albert A. Browne, Palo Alto, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Fairbanks,

a corporation of Illinois Application July 13, 1944, Serial No. 544,770 5 Claims. (Cl. 308-237) The present invention relates to shaft bearings, and more particularly to a bearing for supporting the line shaft of a centrifugal or impeller type of pump in which the bearing is submerged in the flow of the liquid being pumped.

It ma be said that the principal object of the invention is to provide a new and novel type of self-lubricating bearing surface for a pump shaft which can be easily applied to a shaft in a simple and expedit'ous manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved shaft and sleeve assembly of the type contemplated by which a hardened, non-corrosive sleeve may be firmly secured upon a shaft in a new and novel manner, and which will at the same time permit of an easy removal and replacement of the sleeve without damage to the shaft in the event of excessive wear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and novel method for applying a noncorrosive and wear-resistant surface of the typ described to the bearing engaging portion of an exposed pump shaft.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part evident to those skilled in the art.

and in part pointed out hereinafter in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a preferrrd embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a port on of a pump discharge pipe showing a shaft provided with the invention journaled therein,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view, in section, showing the details of a sleeve assembly constructed in accordance with the invention, and

Figure 3 is a vertical view in section showing a preferred form of tool or device with which the application of the sleeve to a shaft can be conveniently carried out in accordance with the invention.

In bearings of the type contemplated by my invention, and particularly those where water. is being pumped, it is the practice, inorder to avoid contamination of the water b lubricat ng oils, to provide a rubber or other non-metallic bearing in which the shaft is journaled, and in this'manner a bearing is provided that can be water lubricated. While these rubber and other non-me- 7 tallic bearings are less susceptible to wear from the abras ve action of sand particles and the like entrained in the water, it has been found that the bearing engaging porton of the shaft soon becomes worn or scored by the action of these for- 55 Morse & 00-,

eign particles and, therefore, to meet this difficulty, it has also been proposed to provide the shaft with a hardened wearing surface at the point where the shaft is journaled within the bearing. One such attempt at a solution to this problem is illustrated by Hait Patent No. 2,208,975, entitled Open line shaft bearing, which discloses the use of a chromium surface electrolytically deposited upon a pump shaft. And while this arrangement provides a wear resistng surface upon the shaft, which greatly prolongs the life of the hearing, it is open to the objection that the application of such a, surface to the shaft entails an expensive and complicated operation and, further, when the chromium layer becomes worn or scored, it cannot be renewed without completely ifitiasassemblmg the pump and replating the she Another procedure which has been followed quite extensively i to provide the line shaft with a non-corrosive sleeve of Monel metal or stainless steel which is shrunk and swaged into an annular groove formed around the shaft for the length of the sleeve, and while this arrangement has been found satisfactory, it, too, is open to some objections, the principal ones of which are that because of the shrinking and swaging operations to which the sleeve is subjected, it cannot be hardened beforehand, nor can the sleeve be easily replaced when it becomes worn, and n no event can this repairibe made on a pump in the field, which is an important consideration as, under some conditions of use, these sleeves are required to be replaced quite frequently.

Among other methods of providing a hardened wearing surface upon the line shaft of the type under consideration may be mentioned the sim ple arrangement of a sleeve that is applied to the shaft with a shrink fit. In this arrangement the heat ng involved in the making of such a shrink fit tends to anneal or destroy the hardness of the sleeve, and this operation is also diflficult to perform in the field in the event that a repair is required. It has also been proposed to provide the shaft with a slip-fitting sleeve that is secured against displacement by means of machine screws or studs. Due to the nature of the fit thus provided, there is a, tendency for rust to form between the shaft and sleeve which, in the event of a renewal of the sleeve, will require a refinishing of the shaft surface and, consequently, the use of an undersized sleeve. Spot welding has also been resorted to as a means for fastening such a sleeve on a shaft, but with this method uneven stresses are set up in the shaft and sleeve and replaceand expose the soft metal thereunder which, in

accordance with best practices, is a nickel .plating that is applied to the shaft prior to the chromium plating operation. By my invention I have overcome the above objections and, at the same time, I have provided a wearing surface upon a shaft that will have all of the advantages of the best prior art practices and which will possess other advantages not found in the prior art arrangements. As for example, a greater hardness, a more simple assembly, and a more convenient rene'wability.

For a more detailed description of my invention, reference is now made to Figure 1 of the drawing, wherein I have shown a vertical shaft I0, such as is generally used to establish a driving connection between a driving motor and a pump (not shown) which is positioned at the lower end of a well column II. The well column I I is composed of a series of lengths of pipe that are secured in end-to-end relation by an internally threaded coupling I2, and positioned between the ends of these lengths of pipe, there is a spider-like bearing support I3 that carries a non-metallic bearing surface forming member I4 which may be of rubber, wood, a suitable plastic, or in fact any other type of water lubricated bearing material. Carried by the shaft l and disposed within and extending through the bearing surface forming member Hi there is a hardened bearing engaging sleeve I5 which is firmly secured upon the shaft. This hardened bearing engaging sleeve I5 is of a non-corrosive metal and, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will consist of a chemi cally or nitride hardened sleeve of stainless steel. Because of its physical and chemical characteristics, it will at once be seen that such a sleeve cannot be expanded by the application of heat so as to establish a conventional shrink fit upon the shaft I0. Therefore, I have found it necessary to provide a novel means for securing such a sleeve I5 upon the shaft. This I have accomplished, as will be seen from the drawing. by providing the hardened bearing engaging sleeve l5 with a small hole l6 through which a relatively soft solder or other low melting point metal may be introduced into the space between the shaft I0 and the sleeve I5 while the sleeve I5 is subjected to heating at a temperature sufficient to slightly expand it and, at the same time, flow the softer metal, but below the temperature at which the hardness of the sleeve l5 will be detrimentally affected.

In Figure 2 of the drawing the small hole I6 is shown as positioned a short distance down from the upper end of the sleeve l5 so that when the assembly, with the sleeve I5 in place upon the shaft III, is heated to the required temperature, a solder or other low melting point metal Il may be introduced between the shaft I0 and the sleeve I5. Under these conditions-the low melting point metal or solder II will flow by capillary action throughout the entire area of the shaft which is encompassed by the sleeve I5 and, in this way, the softer metal will be placed under a shrink or compressive stress when the sleeve I5 is permitted to cool and the result will be a combined adhesion and shrink fit attachment of the sleeve I5 to the shaft I0.

While it is conceivable that a heating of the hardened bearing engaging sleeve I5 may be accomplished in a number of ways, I have shown in Figure 3 of the drawing a simple device by which the sleeve I5 may be attached to the shaft III in a simple and convenient manner. This device comprises a supporting body member I8 that has a central opening in which the shaft I0, with I the sleeve l5, may be positioned. In its preferred form the device I8 will carry an electrical heating unit which may be of the heat radiating or inductive type. In the present instance it is shown with a resistance-type of heat radiating unit I9 which is adapted to be connected to a power line through conductors 20. At the upper end of the device I8 and adapted to register with the hole IS in the sleeve I5, there is an opening or feed hole 2| through which solder or a strip of other low melting point metal may be introduced to the hole I6 in the sleeve I5 while the latter is in an expanded condition. When this device is equipped with an inductive type of heating unit, it will be understood that the resistance winding I9 will be replaced by an insulated winding that will act as the primary of a transformer which, when energized, will induce a secondary current into the hardened bearing engaging sleeve I 5. This will cause the sleeve I5 to expand slightly and, at the same time, provide the heat necessary to eifect a. complete capillary flow of the low melting point metal I! b tween the shaft Ill and the sleeve l5. As an additional feature the device may be provided with two pivotally mounted levers or dogs 22 that will engage the lower end of the sleeve I5 so that it may be raised and/or lowered along the shaft I0 while the sleeve I5 is expanded and then h ld in any desired position while the low melting point metal I! is being flowed under the sle ve I5. Following this operation it will be seen that when the heating unit I9 is disconnected from its circuit, the low melting point metal I1 and the sleeve I5 will immediately cool and the result will be a combined shrink fit and soldered conmotion between the shaft l0 and the slee e I5.

Among some of the advantages obtained by the use of my invention may be mentioned the pos sibility of providing a hardened and non-corrosive bearing surface which will have a hardness substantially equal to that of chromium, and one which will have a greater wearing life, due to the fact that the stainless steel sleeve will be less subject to electrolytic action than is the case with chromium, which has a high electrolytic potential value. Another advantage is that the sleeve may be conveniently replaced in the field posed, the small capillary clearance provided between the shaft l0 and the heat expanded sleeve II will cause a uniform distribution of the low melting point metal I! at a temperature below that at which the hardness of the sleeve will be affected. With this arrangement it will also be noted that withthe sleeve I5 mounted as here shown, a shoulder will be formed at each end thereof which will serve to deflect any sand or other foreign particles which might otherwise creep or flow along the shaft l0 and enter the bearing member ll.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose the invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrateda specific device and arrangement, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and it is desired held under compression by a shrinking of saidstainless steel shell thereover.

4. In a submerged line shaft bearing, the combination of a bearing member having a nonmetallic surface forming bushing, a steel shaft extending through said bearing member, a

to claim it so that all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a submerged line shaft bearing, the combination of a steel line shaft, a hardened noncorrosive metal sleeve adapted for a shrink fit upon said shaft and providing a hardened bearing surface at a point along said shaft, and a compressed capillary layer of a low melting point fiowable metal between said sleeve and said shaft.

2. In a submerged line shaft bearing, the combination of a steel line shaft, a chemically hardened stainless steel sleeve adapted for a shrink fit upon'said shaft and providing a bearing surface at a point along said shaft, and a layer of low melting point fiowable metal under compression between said sleeve and said shaft.

3. In a submerged line shaft bearing, the com- 'bination of a non-metallic water lubricated bearhardened stainless steel sleeve disposed within said non-metallic bushing, and a soft metal bond under compression securing said stainless steel sleeve upon said shaft.

5. In an open line shaft, the combination of a steel shaft, a nitride hardened stainless steel sleeve fitted over said shaft, and a bond between said shaft and said sleeve comprising a capillary layer of low melting point metal over which said stainless steel sleeve is positioned with ashrink fit.

ALBERT A. BROWNE.

'REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS 

